The Justice Department has announced an expansion of its Northeast Health Care Fraud Strike Force to include Philadelphia. This move involves federal and state efforts to target alleged Medicare and Medicaid fraud in home health care services.
A new strike force office will be set up in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. This will bring together the National Fraud Enforcement Division of the Justice Department with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the district.
Federal and Pennsylvania authorities have charged 19 defendants in connection with schemes involving over $4 million in claims submitted to Medicare and Medicaid. These individuals include owners of home health care companies, employees, aides, and Medicaid recipients.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday also revealed a plea agreement with the final defendant in a previously charged case involving $1.7 million in claims, which originally involved 21 defendants.
The Justice Department highlighted that the expansion into the Eastern District of Pennsylvania adds significant federal resources to a district noted for its solid enforcement of health care fraud laws. It explained that combining forces allows law enforcement to more effectively combat fraudsters hiding behind corporate structures to perpetrate their crimes.
Allegations include home health aides billing Medicaid for services while being incarcerated, hospitalized, working elsewhere, or even traveling abroad. In one instance, a Medicaid recipient claimed to need substantial home health help while employed as a carpenter.
Other accusations involve defendants filing for overlapping or impossible work hours. Some claims reached more than 24 hours of care in a day. One agency and its owners faced charges for fraudulent clock-ins and clock-outs.
The expansion adds to recent program extensions in California, Arizona, Nevada, Massachusetts, and Minnesota. The move follows significant enforcement actions, addressing over $15 billion in alleged losses in 2025 and over $6 billion in 2026 involving national health care fraud.
Alexandria Hoff, a general assignment reporter based in Washington, D.C. for FOX News Channel, joined the network in September 2021.